[net.columbia] Congressional committee, feh!

rwl@uvacs.UUCP (Ray Lubinsky) (02/21/86)

> Frankly, anyone who thinks NASA can live through this is pretty
> optomistic, I think, because the committee is doing their level best
> to ruin all of the people who have spent their life learning about
> the shuttle, and who know how to make it  work.

I am both optomistic and realistic.  The former side of me believes that solar
system civilization is our new ``manifest destiny''.  The latter side is
certain that space defense/warfare capability (SDI) has become a focal point
for our global military policy (both as a project in its own right and as an
attempt to tax the Soviet economy to maintain its already burdensome military
budget).  There will be no reduction in our LEO activies.  

Also, you haven't mentioned here the fact that there are companies that intend
to make *money* from space processing.  Surely they're not going to stand by
while the most efficient (American) human/cargo space delivery system around
just gathers cobwebs.

Whether you're pie-eyed or hard-nosed, the prospect of a single disaster
turning the tide of American space involvement appears rather unlikely.
Congressional committees or no.
-- 

Ray Lubinsky		   University of Virginia, Dept. of Computer Science
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